Great Lakes interested in Ansell operation

WALLED LAKE, Mich. (Nov. 20)—Great Lakes Glove and Safety Inc. has an interest in purchasing the soon-to-be-closed Massillon Perry medical glove manufacturing facility in Ohio, if certain criteria are met. Topping Great Lakes Glove's agenda would be the inclusion of equipment at the plant in any deal. That may take some doing because the owner of the 45-year-old factory, Ansell Healthcare Products Inc., seems intent on moving the machinery to other sites, including one in Malaysia, before it closes the facility in 2002. Ansell plans to stop dipping gloves at the Massillon, Ohio, facility in early December and shortly thereafter begin moving equipment to factories in Asia and possibly elsewhere, according to Phil Coorke, Ansell senior vice president of human resources. The company doesn't want to sell the machinery "because we need it elsewhere," he said. That could put an end to any interest Great Lakes Glove has in the plant.